Snyder Succeeds where Council Failed: Getting a Detroiter on Financial Advisory Board

**corktownyuppie** · May-18-12, 08:06 AM

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in..._river_default

Where, oh where, did Snyder find this diamond in the rough? This needle in the haystack? This most obscure combination of talent, expertise, Detroit residency, and willingness?? Someone who can understand and decipher the numbers but also understands the community challenges from the inside and on the ground?

Price, the former president of Marygrove College, currently sits on the board of directors for Compuware, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Jewish Fund. She also served on the state-appointed review team that investigated Detroit's finances for 90 days and confirmed a state of severe stress.

Sometimes I wonder if City Council is going out of their way to make things more difficult than they need to be.

**313WX** · May-18-12, 08:15 AM

It doesn't surprise me that he appointed a Detroiter. I pretty much expected that to happen.

He's making sure to cover his ass quite well, so if things go wrong with this, Detroiters can't blame him for sending "outsiders" into Detroit to "dismantle" the city.

Purely a political move.

As for City Council, to give them the benefit of the doubt, no Detroiters have thrown their hat into the ring [[although I'm sure there are a few who qualify), and the two that did dropped out.

**corktownyuppie** · May-18-12, 08:28 AM

I think your analysis is right. I'm just ready for the board to get formed and start getting to work. Yes, I know, patience has never been my strongest suit.

**SWMAP** · May-18-12, 08:36 AM

Speaking from some experience, I believe that potential appointees by City Council will be very wary. Price doesn't mind being appointed by the Governor [[and she appears to be a very liberal Democrat) because Snyder is steady and has well-articulated goals. Council is a very different cat. They will not appoint and trust. They will be hauling their appointees in front of Council a lot. They will be unable to provide sustainable goals for their appointees. It will just be very difficult for the people appointed by Council. It was difficult in the past and, with new roles unfolding and Council sort of married to the old ways, it will be even harder.

**313WX** · May-18-12, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

I think your analysis is right. I'm just ready for the board to get formed and start getting to work. Yes, I know, patience has never been my strongest suit.

Provided there are no more legal road bumps, we should have a board in place by the end of June at the latest.

**Meddle** · May-18-12, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

Sometimes I wonder if City Council is going out of their way to make things more difficult than they need to be.

You have to wonder about that? I thought that was a given.

**corktownyuppie** · May-18-12, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

Speaking from some experience, I believe that potential appointees by City Council will be very wary. Price doesn't mind being appointed by the Governor [[and she appears to be a very liberal Democrat) because Snyder is steady and has well-articulated goals. Council is a very different cat. They will not appoint and trust. They will be hauling their appointees in front of Council a lot. They will be unable to provide sustainable goals for their appointees. It will just be very difficult for the people appointed by Council. It was difficult in the past and, with new roles unfolding and Council sort of married to the old ways, it will be even harder.

This is interesting....you're essentially saying that some candidates may reject appointment by the council but accept appointment by the governor or the mayor. It does make sense...I would hate to report to council, not because I don't want accountability to a group, but because City Council member viewpoints are so widely varied that the end result is sometimes incoherent and inconsistent. That

**Wesley Mouch** · May-18-12, 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in..._river_default

Where, oh where, did Snyder find this diamond in the rough? This needle in the haystack? This most obscure combination of talent, expertise, Detroit residency, and willingness?? Someone who can understand and decipher the numbers but also understands the community challenges from the inside and on the ground?

Sometimes I wonder if City Council is going out of their way to make things more difficult than they need to be.

I think Snyder is really a liberal, urban dweller at heart. He found a kindred spirit.

**313WX** · May-18-12, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

I think Snyder is really a liberal.

I don't want this to go off topic, but unless the definition of "liberal" has changed since I've last heard its definition on the current political spectrum, with all due respect I think you're quite delusional for reaching that conclusion.

Moderate, I can accept [[loosely, given how the center has continued shifting to the right in the last 30 years), but liberal, no...

**corktownyuppie** · May-18-12, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

I don't want this to go off topic, but unless the definition of "liberal" has changed since I've last heard its definition on the current political spectrum, with all due respect I think you're quite delusional for reaching that conclusion.

Moderate, I can accept [[loosely), but liberal, no...

Liberal is one of those words whose meaning has been different as I've moved about in different circles...

When I was at the University of Michigan, liberal was generally about social progressivism...womens' rights, sex-positive philosophy, decriminalization of marijuana, affirmative action, the acceptance of gay lifestyle as part of the mainstream, etc. Some environmental awareness.

When I moved back into Detroit, being liberal was much more about being anti-establishmentarian. "Fighting the man". "The 99%". There was definitely a more militant and combative stance. A very intense -- bordering on delusional -- zealotry about the strength of unions.

Personally, I've always considered myself liberal in my vision, but emphasizing the need to use conservative means to liberal ends, if you will.

So would I consider Snyder "liberal"? Not sure I'm there yet. But I would call him "liberal-friendly". But I don't see most Detroiters as liberal, either. I see them as radical...still fighting wars from 40-50 years ago.

**313WX** · May-18-12, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

Liberal is one of those words whose meaning has been different as I've moved about in different circles...

When I was at the University of Michigan, liberal was generally about social progressivism...womens' rights, sex-positive philosophy, decriminalization of marijuana, affirmative action, the acceptance of gay lifestyle as part of the mainstream, etc. Some environmental awareness.

When I moved back into Detroit, being liberal was much more about being anti-establishmentarian. "Fighting the man". "The 99%". There was definitely a more militant and combative stance. A very intense -- bordering on delusional -- zealotry about the strength of unions.

Personally, I've always considered myself liberal in my vision, but emphasizing the need to use conservative means to liberal ends, if you will.

So would I consider Snyder "liberal"? Not sure I'm there yet. But I would call him "liberal-friendly". But I don't see most Detroiters as liberal, either. I see them as radical...still fighting wars from 40-50 years ago.

I agree with your conclusion regarding Detroiters. It's a very provincial town. I see it as fiscally liberally but socially conservative, given the strong chrisitan establishment here how homophobic the city tends the city [[I don't acknowledge the situation with Charles Pugh, as his was different given his name recognition). Traditional could even be the word, which depending on the person is the same as Conservative. The only reason Detroit votes heavily democrats is for the Democrats' stances on Social Justice for blacks and their stance on Welfare/Entitlements. It's a different type of Democrat from the ones you see in Chicago or San Francisco [[who are the true progressive Democrats people seem to dislike), which is why I sometimes laugh when people baselessly claim liberalism is the problem with the city.

Michigan I think is also quite Traditional/Conservative as a whole. You'll be surprised to see how much vitriol hate the average Michigander has for Detroit and its type of liberalism [[Which isn't actually "liberalism" in the normal sense). It's definitely reflected in the media outlets and state political processses too. It really just has a very progressive view on worker's right [[envision a very conservative dad working on the assembly line), and Michigan stance on that in itself is so progressive that it overshadows how conservative much of the state truly is on other issues [[such as Religion, Gay Marriage, Gun Control, etc.). Thus, see how the folks in working-class Macomb County were known as Reagan Democrats.

I consider myself fiscally conservative and socially liberal. I'm almost libertartian when it comes to social issues. I'm fiscally conservative, not from the perspectigve that government should be lmited, but rather it should be responsible on what and how much it spends. For example, I'd rather we'd increase revenue for stronger spending on social programs with a balanced budget [[see 1950s-1970s) than run deficits spending on defense programs [[what we have now).

**Hypestyles** · May-18-12, 12:31 PM

is there a specific deadline to get the entire financial review group in place, i.e., 90 days? could this end up being "stretched out" several months and beyond?

**Danny** · May-18-12, 01:56 PM

Dave Bing on the Consent financial advisory board set up.

"Me and the city council know certian deadlines. However most city council and its unions are just playing 'plantation politics'. We can't look at the worst case scenarios because Detroit is in its problems. One way or another Synder and the Michigan State Legislators wants Detroit back on its feet without the city government spending too much money when its either borrowed or recieved from state, local and federal governments."

**townonenorth** · May-18-12, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

Dave Bing on the Consent financial advisory board set up.

"Me and the city council know certian deadlines. However most city council and its unions are just playing 'plantation politics'. We can't look at the worst case scenarios because Detroit is in its problems. One way or another Synder and the Michigan State Legislators wants Detroit back on its feet without the city government spending too much money when its either borrowed or recieved from state, local and federal governments."

I'm awful glad you aren't the city's official spokesman.

Oh, wait. Maybe you are.

**Locke09** · May-18-12, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in..._river_default

Where, oh where, did Snyder find this diamond in the rough? This needle in the haystack? This most obscure combination of talent, expertise, Detroit residency, and willingness?? Someone who can understand and decipher the numbers but also understands the community challenges from the inside and on the ground?

Sometimes I wonder if City Council is going out of their way to make things more difficult than they need to be.

As wonderful and talented a person as she might be, I see nothing in her education or background that qualifies her to sit on a Financial Advisory Board of a multi-billion dollar municipality.

It would also seem a conflict of interest that she is on the Board of Directors of Compuware, which has multi-million dollar contracts with the City of Detroit. Would she support comparing the rates Compuware charges the city to the rates charged by other tech companies? Would she support reviewing all projects Compuware is working on to ensure the city is getting its money's worth?

How would she weigh in on any proposals to outsource city IT work? Would Compuware be prohibited from bidding?

I would also think that anyone who was on the board that recommended a consent agreement would not be on the board overseeing the consent agreement.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · May-19-12, 01:09 AM

Originally Posted by Meddle

You have to wonder about that? I thought that was a given.

I favor democracy [[or, more exactly, an elected representative government), but Detroit is clearly the argument to be made against it.

**coracle** · May-19-12, 06:02 AM

Its naive to think a sitting Mayor/Council will allow a Board of advisers to come in and succeed in running the city they themselves were incapable of running. Sabotage will be the name of the game at every turn until failure is claimed and the responsibility placed on the State for pushing the idea in the first case.

**Wesley Mouch** · May-19-12, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

...snip...The only reason Detroit votes heavily democrats is for the Democrats' stances on Social Justice for blacks and their stance on Welfare/Entitlements. It's a different type of Democrat from the ones you see in Chicago or San Francisco [[who are the true progressive Democrats people seem to dislike), which is why I sometimes laugh when people baselessly claim liberalism is the problem with the city....snip...

I consider myself fiscally conservative and socially liberal. I'm almost libertartian when it comes to social issues. I'm fiscally conservative, not from the perspectigve that government should be lmited, but rather it should be responsible on what and how much it spends. ...snip...

Too bad there's not more discussion here on DY about the issue of what liberalism [[or conservativism) means in action. 313's points are spot on.

I too am a moderate libertarian. The kind that thinks Ron Paul goes too far off the edge -- but has some great points.

As for Detroit and this thread -- I see some of that pragmatic liberalism that masquerades as conservatism in Synder. Leaving aside the extremists for a moment -- most reasonable people want a successful Detroit. And I think Snyder is in this camp.

Some may disagree with this because he's goring their ox [[teachers or city employees). But I believe he is doing so in an effort to do the best for the city and state.

I think he's doing about the right things for Detroit -- and I can understand that others believe differently. But those are arguments in my mind about methods, not intent.

Appointing this person to the board may be good politics, but I think Snyder is also doing it because he thinks she might be the kind of person necessary to make the board work.

**corktownyuppie** · May-19-12, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

I think he's doing about the right things for Detroit -- and I can understand that others believe differently. But those are arguments in my mind about methods, not intent.

I don't think this point could be overstated. Reasonable people might disagree about whether or not his methods and philosophy will be a net positive for Detroiters.

But we must distinguish his stance from many out-staters who literally don't care what happens to Detroit. Just because they share the same party name does not mean that they're on the same page on this...just like JoAnn Watson does not equal Ken Cockrel Jr, even though they probably share the same party affiliation.

**coracle** · May-20-12, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by coracle

Its naive to think a sitting Mayor/Council will allow a Board of advisers to come in and succeed in running the city they themselves were incapable of running. Sabotage will be the name of the game at every turn until failure is claimed and the responsibility placed on the State for pushing the idea in the first case.

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